T.M.S.:Marvin was my friend. We just opened the pre-Broadway tryout of The Nutty Professor last week. It sucks that that has to be his last show and he will never see it move.

He had a great mind, an astonishing talent and literally defined modern musical theater. Such a loss.

life does not get better than this.

Sorry for your loss. I had respect for the guy, as I, like most other kids growing up in the 70s, had to learn "The Entertainer" on piano. Even though it was written by Scott Joplin, it was Hamlisch's arrangement that I had to learn.

Thanks. Yeah its been a rough week on Broadway. Mark O'Donnell who wrote Hairspray, the producer Joan Stein and then Sal Sclafanni, the house prop man at the Hirshfeld theater, all in one week. All of them were in their fifties.

T.M.S.:Marvin was my friend. We just opened the pre-Broadway tryout of The Nutty Professor last week. It sucks that that has to be his last show and he will never see it move.

He had a great mind, an astonishing talent and literally defined modern musical theater. Such a loss.

life does not get better than this.

I met Marvin a number of years ago at a charity event at the Waldorf. He performed a few selections with a number of other musicians and took time to talk with anyone that approached him. He was a class act, a serious talent and a heck of a nice guy. My condolences.

four95:T.M.S.: Marvin was my friend. We just opened the pre-Broadway tryout of The Nutty Professor last week. It sucks that that has to be his last show and he will never see it move.

He had a great mind, an astonishing talent and literally defined modern musical theater. Such a loss.

life does not get better than this.

I met Marvin a number of years ago at a charity event at the Waldorf. He performed a few selections with a number of other musicians and took time to talk with anyone that approached him. He was a class act, a serious talent and a heck of a nice guy. My condolences.

Family spokesman Jason Lee said Hamlisch collapsed and died Monday after a brief illness. Other details were not released.

I'm not trolling here, but asking a real question. Is "collapsed" a medical term or did he really walk across the floor and his knees gave out sending him crashing to the floor? The reason I ask is that if someone is sick (sick enough that they may die), why the fark would they be out of bed?

Sorry for the loss. I didn't know him or much of his work, but he was very popular.

boyvoyeur:Family spokesman Jason Lee said Hamlisch collapsed and died Monday after a brief illness. Other details were not released.

I'm not trolling here, but asking a real question. Is "collapsed" a medical term or did he really walk across the floor and his knees gave out sending him crashing to the floor? The reason I ask is that if someone is sick (sick enough that they may die), why the fark would they be out of bed?

Sorry for the loss. I didn't know him or much of his work, but he was very popular.

Over the years, I've played hundreds of jobs in the pit orchestra for musicals. To be honest, I never much liked Broadway-style musicals as a spectator, but I always liked the easy money of playing in the pit (always preferred bar-band gigs, because...beer and women). That said, I always loved when I got pit gigs for A Chorus Line. The score is interesting and fun to play. Hamlisch was catchy and a brilliant composer and, by all accounts, a nice guy.

Enjoy your rest, Marvin. Your second-death will certainly not happen for a very long time.

T.M.S.:Thanks. Yeah its been a rough week on Broadway. Mark O'Donnell who wrote Hairspray, the producer Joan Stein and then Sal Sclafanni, the house prop man at the Hirshfeld theater, all in one week. All of them were in their fifties.

Now Marvin.

Well, watch your ass, eh? That looks like two sets of three. (With one yet to be named)

Out of sheer selfishness, I don't want to lose your posts here. Had you favorited for a long time...

Craptastic:Over the years, I've played hundreds of jobs in the pit orchestra for musicals. To be honest, I never much liked Broadway-style musicals as a spectator, but I always liked the easy money of playing in the pit (always preferred bar-band gigs, because...beer and women). That said, I always loved when I got pit gigs for A Chorus Line. The score is interesting and fun to play. Hamlisch was catchy and a brilliant composer and, by all accounts, a nice guy.

IIRC, the opening number seems to contain a bit of an in-joke for the band and the dancers since it starts off in common time but when the choreographer shouts the count off "a 5, 6, 7, 8 ..." it then breaks into some non conventional time signature. I wonder if that was on purpose.

Enjoy your rest, Marvin. Your second-death will certainly not happen for a very long time.

Saw him live many years ago at the Boston Pops. Just him and his piano. To my utter surprise, he did a lot of improv, taking suggestions from the audience and constructing a faux broadway number right in front of everyone. He was quick witted and gracious at the same time. A real class act. It definitely ranks as one of the most entertaining nights in my life.